The 71st National Film Awards were announced in New Delhi on Friday, honouring the finest in Indian cinema for films certified between January 1 and December 31, 2023. The jury, chaired by acclaimed filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker, celebrated both critically acclaimed and widely appreciated films across multiple languages and genres.
The highlight of the evening was Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 12th Fail, which won Best Feature Film, reinforcing its position as one of the most impactful films of the year.
Top Honours
In a year that showcased powerful performances, Shah Rukh Khan won Best Actor for his role in Jawan, sharing the award with Vikrant Massey for 12th Fail. Rani Mukerji took home the Best Actress award for her emotionally resonant performance in Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway.
Sudipto Sen was named Best Director for the controversial yet widely discussed film The Kerala Story, while Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani won *Best Feature Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
Other major winners included:
Best Supporting Actress – Urvashi (Ullozhukku), Janaki Bodiwala (Vash)
Best Supporting Actor – Vijayaraghavan (Pookkaalam), M.S. Bhaskar (Parking)
Best Film Promoting National and Social Values – Sam Bahadur
Best Child Artists – Sukriti Veni Bandreddi, Kabir Khandane, Treesh Thosar
Regional Film Winners
India’s linguistic and cultural diversity was highlighted through regional cinema winners:
Best Hindi Film – Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery
Best Tamil Film – Parking
Best Telugu Film – Bhagavanth Kesari
Best Malayalam Film – Ullozhukku
Best Marathi Film – Shyamchi Aai
Best Bengali Film – Deep Fridge
Best Punjabi Film – Godday Godday Chaa
Best Gujarati Film – Vash
Best Assamese Film – Rongatapu 1982
Best Kannada Film – Kandeelu: The Ray of Hope
Best Odia Film – Pushkara
Best Tai Phake Film – Pai Tang… Step of Hope
Best Garo Film – Rimdogittanga
Technical & Creative Excellence
Best Screenplay – Sai Rajesh Neelam (Baby), Ramkumar Balakrishna (Parking)
Best Dialogue Writer – Deepak Kingrani (Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai)
Best Cinematography – Prasantanu Mohapatra (The Kerala Story)
Best Production Design – 2018: Everyone is a Hero
Best Editing – Midhun Murali (Pookkaalam)
Best Action Direction – Hanu-Man (Telugu)
Best Makeup – Shrikant Desai (Sam Bahadur)
Best Costume Design – Sachin Lovalekar, Divvya & Nidhiii Gambhir (Sam Bahadur)
Musical Achievements
Best Music Direction (Songs) – Vaathi (Tamil)
Best Background Score – Harshavardhan Rameshwar (Animal)
Best Lyrics – Balagam (The Group)
Best Male Playback Singer – PVM S Roht (Premisthunna)
Best Female Playback Singer – Shilpa Rao (Chaleya)
Best Choreography – Vaibhavi Merchant (Dhindhora Baje Re)
Best Sound Design – Sachin Sudhakaran & Hariharan Muralidharan (Animal)
Non-Feature Film Awards
The non-feature segment recognized excellence in documentaries, short films, and cultural storytelling:
Best Non-Fiction Film – Flowering Man
Best Debut Film of a Director – The Spirit Dreams of Cheraw
Best Art/Culture Film – Timeless Tamil Nadu
Best Documentary Film – God Vulture and Human
Best Short Film – Giddh: The Scavenger
Best Film Promoting Social/Environmental Values – The Silent Epidemic
Best Direction (Non-Feature) – Piyush Thakur (The First Film)
Best Cinematography (Non-Feature) – Little Wings
Best Sound Design (Non-Feature) – Dhundhgiri Ke Phool
Best Editing (Non-Feature) – Moving Focus
Best Music Direction (Non-Feature) – The First Film
Best Script – Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know
Best Voiceover – Hari Krishnan S (The Sacred Jack – Exploring The Tree of Wishes)
Special Mentions
Special Jury Mentions were given to Nekal: Chronicle of the Paddy Man and The Sea and the Seven Villages.
Utpal Datta was recognised as the Best Film Critic for his insightful contributions to Indian cinema.